Either you need to stop covering it up, or, you need to have a glow around the icon as it's charging. More than one class has an alternate action involving melee such as ambush on hunters and because the skill is covered up you can't see rather it's charged or not until you try to do it and realize it's not charged. OR you have to switch to another weapon and back which is kinda a lot of effort in the middle of a fire fight just to check if you are able to punch something.
Please have a way to know if melee is charged when you're holding a glaive or sword. Thanks.